MOOSE JAW EXPRESS — It was a night to remember!
Rocking out with the band held something special for a group of local teenagers. Foreigner held a contest to choose a choir to accompany them with the song, “I want to know what love is.” The Cornerstone Christian Choir won the opportunity of a lifetime to join the band on stage.
“Yes, the students were quite ecstatic when news broke of their opportunity to perform with Foreigner. They spent a significant amount of time preparing for the contest entry and for the event itself. Many of the students were already familiar with the song and recognized a number of other hits when I played recordings for them,” said the choir director Josh Carley.
Foreigner is made up of a number of talented individuals with years of experience behind them, including Kelly Hansen, Michael Bluestein, Chris Frazier, Bruce Watson, Luis Maldonado, and Jeff Pilson.
Interviewing the bass guitarist Jeff Pilson over email and in person was an experience of a lifetime. As the band will no longer be on the road for months at a time, the one thing he did express was his passion for the people he worked with.
“I'll miss the camaraderie of the band and crew and everyone we work with, plus the interaction with the fans. It's such a great group of people and I really will miss that,” he said through email.
Q: What was the hardest gig to perform?
A: “Probably the orchestral shows we've done. It's really fun and very exciting, but it's a big logistical and musical challenge. Difficult but also rewarding.”
Q: What was the moment you thought, "I can't believe this is happening?"
A: “Playing with Led Zeppelin at the 02 Arena in London, Dec of 2007. Such a surreal moment.”
How it all started for Pilson was a simple schoolyard request. “I was 12 years old, I was in the schoolyard, some guys heard me singing and they said, “Hey, we're starting a band. We need a singer. Do you want to be our singer?” “I'm like sure,” he explained in his personal interview. They then informed him they needed a bass guitarist. So he spent his own money on a bass guitar and amp and never looked back. The doors that opened from one moment in time changed the course of his life forever.
Pilson joined Foreigner in 2004 giving him 20 years with the band. Going from touring the world with the band to yoga retreats with his wife in Costa Rica, Jeff has no plans to slow down. “I've got a million other projects and what I really want to do is, I want to do a lot of recording. I've got a lovely recording studio. I work with great people, and I just want to collaborate and make great music.”
And finally, his personal message to all their fans: “Just thank you to everyone for many years of undying support. That's what makes it all worthwhile!”
The legacy they leave with their fans will be passed on for generations and all their fans thank them for the years they have dedicated to rocking our world!
